Besides the back pay, the company agreed to credit
Caldwell’s service record with three years, ending this
month.

Last March the US Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission sued the firm on behalf of Deborah
Caldwell. Caldwell, now 53, was dismissed in January
1999 at age 50 after 30 years at BellSouth, according to
the Associated Press.

BellSouth Telecommunications denied liability or
wrongdoing in the consent decree.